Making the Numbers Behind Growth Work
Independent boutique fitness business
Turning utilisation, customer behaviour and financial data into a practical commercial model for improving profitability.
The challenge
1
Following expansion across two studios, the business needed to increase attendance and utilisation to achieve sustainable profitability. But the commercial challenge went beyond attracting more customers.
Pricing, membership structure, class schedules, instructor costs, customer frequency and retention all influenced the financial performance of the business. The owner needed to understand which changes would make the greatest difference, and what the numbers needed to look like for the business to break even and generate profit.
What I did
2
I analysed customer attendance, utilisation, pricing and package performance to understand the commercial drivers behind the business. We identified opportunities to increase attendance frequency, re-engage lapsed customers and improve the relationship between different class disciplines.
I then developed a commercial planning approach built around defined utilisation targets, alternative membership and package structures, class capacity and the relationship between revenue and delivery costs.
The work also included customer segmentation, communications planning and practical guidance for instructors to support implementation. The next stage focused on connecting these decisions to a financial model that could be used to test different operating scenarios.
What changed
3
The business gained a clearer understanding of the attendance, pricing and capacity decisions required to improve performance.
Instead of relying on marketing activity alone, the owner could evaluate the commercial impact of different decisions and prioritise changes that supported both customer experience and profitability. The result was a more connected approach to running the business, with customer behaviour and financial performance considered together.
Testimonial
4
“Sue approached the business completely differently from how I'd expected. Rather than immediately suggesting marketing ideas, she started by understanding how customers actually use the studio and where the commercial opportunity really is. She's helped me see the customer journey, products and marketing as one connected system.”
let’s talk.
You don’t need a polished brief.
If you’re building something, changing something or have a sense the business needs tightening, simplifying or moving forward, send me a note, or book a call.